POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Four men in Polk County are facing charges for possessing and transmitting child pornography, the sheriff's office announced on Friday. One of the men is also facing charges for sexually battering a 12-year-old and filming it.
The sheriff's office said 23-year-old Ian Gadd, 18-year-old Melvin Lagos, Jr., 29-year-old Christian Pillot-Osorio and 23-year-old Billy "Jordan" Rose were arrested as part of an undercover operation.
Detectives served search warrants at each of the suspect's homes and seized all of their digital devices, which means more charges could be added if more illegal content is found.
According to the sheriff's office, the charges listed below came after an on-scene preview of each suspect's devices.
Gadd, of Lakeland, is charged with two counts of transmission of child pornography and 89 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography. The sheriff's office said detectives found 89 images of children as young as 3 being sexually battered on his devices.
Gadd is also accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a 12-year-old child he had access to and filming it. He's charged with 11 counts of sexual battery on a child less than 12, 10 counts of use of a child in a sexual performance and 10 counts promoting a sexual performance by a child.
Gadd is being held without bond in the Polk County Jail.
Lagos, of Davenport, is charged with 32 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography after authorities said they found images of children as young as 8 being sexually battered on his devices.
Lagos is being held in the Polk County Jail on a $32,000 bond.
Pillot-Osorio, of Lakeland, is charged with four counts of transmission of child pornography and 33 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography. Authorities said they found images of children as young as 5-months-old being sexually battered on his devices.
Pillot-Osorio is being held without bond in the Polk County Jail.
Rose, of Winter Haven, is charged with 38 counts of enhanced possession of child pornography. Authorities said they found images of children as young as 2 being sexually battered on his devices.
Rose is being held on a $585,000 bond in the Polk County Jail.
“These suspects - who are the worst of the worst - used common social media apps, like Instagram, Snapchat, and Kik, to transmit and download child pornography. This is clear proof that these horrific images are easier than ever to find and share," Sheriff Grady Judd said. "Each time an image is downloaded or shared, the victim in that image is re-victimized. We continue to encourage parents to be all up in their child's business - no matter how old their child is. We want these suspects locked up so that they never have access to children.”
According to the sheriff's office, Pillot-Osorio told authorities he has used Snapchat to send child porn and Rose said he has used Kik Messenger to download child porn.
The sheriff's office said this investigation started after they got tips from the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children (NCMEC) about suspects living in Polk County who were possibly transmitting or downloading the harmful images and videos.
